Raise the Floor
Manager’s Comments – Rick Bates

I don’t normally do an agenda package for the joint meeting of the two Boards, but in this case, there is an item on the agenda that is more specific than normal and there is information to review.

Included in the packet is a copy of the Power Point presentation that will be used on Monday as well as a copy of the proposed change in the statute as well as the resolution that the Board of Selectmen did that started this whole movement.

In a nutshell, the State of Maine contributes to funding education of students using a complex EPS (Essential Programs and Services) formula that gives out money to local district depending on that formula what they are asking us to consider is joining a Statewide effort of all the communities that fall below the minimum 15% EPS expenditure. Currently, we are receiving about 9% funding.

The raise the floor effort set’s a minimum that the State can send any district is 15%. Based on the calculations this would mean that there would be an additional $654,531 coming into the Towns of Camden and Rockport to reduce the cost of education for the local taxpayers. This is significant.

One important factor is that the effort does not look to create the floor, by hurting other districts. They will continue to get the funding that they get, it just sets a minimum any district can get.

What they are asking is, that the Town’s affected by the proposed change, contribute to the lobbying effort. As I understand it, the cost for the Town of Rockport and Camden would be $3,670 based on student population.

Preti Flaherty has been hired to lead the lobbying efforts because of their success in the past in getting educational legislation passed in the past that would help communities financially. While the total effort is not cheap. If all the communities band together, it makes the effort much more affordable.

Mark Robinson, the Town Manager in Fayette, has been leading the charge on this. Megan and I met with him and several other managers and finance directors last Spring. Audra and I also met with him at the MTCMA Conference at Sunday River.

Kristin Collins and Dan Walker from Preti-Flarety will be on hand to make the presentation. As of this time, I am unsure if Mark will be in attendance or not.

At this point I do not have a suggested motion.

Here are some links you may be interested in.

http://www.mainepublic.org/term/raise-floor#stream/0

https://www.pressherald.com/2018/10/08/our-view-new-group-right-to-spotlight-maine-school- funding-inequity/

http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/20180910/york-asked-to-raise-floor http://www.fosters.com/news/20180916/coalition-seeks-to-boost-educational-funding-in-maine http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/20180918/editorial-we-support-raise-floor-coalition